Lockdown and Trauma
We have noticed a massive increase in the amount of parents who are accessing therapy. Not just from parents who have had a recent neonatal experience but also from parents who are a year or two down the line. There have been a huge amount of triggers for our families and this has heightened anxiety and stress in dealing with the challenges of the COVID crisis.
Before lockdown was announced we had already started to think about how we could continue to provide our trauma therapy sessions. We were very quick to switch to a remote service to ensure parents could still access support. We were actually concerned that this might not work but it has really taken off and is definitely a way of working that we will keep. We are very happy we have now been able to return to face to face therapy sessions for parents who prefer this way of working.
One of our families recently reached out to us to ask for help and this is what she said about her experience with our therapist
Therapy with Janine through lockdown has been a blessing. I spent so much time before hand feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and tense. Feeling cooped up inside and not knowing how to take a moment for myself. Janine has been a life saver, friendly and professional and she has given me so many tips and tricks to help me through those moments when I feel particularly overwhelmed. She has also been a focus point for me each week, I have felt better just knowing that in a matter of days I would be having a session with her and would be able to offload and find some contentment, I honestly could not be more grateful for everything she is doing for me, and for this opportunity for therapy thanks to Spoons
Over the lockdown period we saw a huge increase in referrals for our trauma therapy.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing, how it works is all a bit of a mystery but it is a therapy that is effective in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The therapist will gently encourage you to recall troubling events, whilst asking you to follow their finger with movements from your eyes. This encourages the brain to process these traumatic events and change the way we think about them. It is all about having full control of the way you think about the past, the present and the future.
Spoons has been funding EMDR therapy for families who have experienced neonatal care since 2018. Promoting good emotional health and mental well being for our families remains a priority for Spoons and we will continue to work hard to be able to offer this unique service to neonatal families in Greater Manchester
If you would like to access trauma therapy through Spoons please get in touch here
Without the amazing support we receive from our funders and supporters we wouldn’t be able to offer this service to parents.